Photocomposing apparatus



R. W. WIRTZ PHOTOCOMPOSING APPARATUS July 2s, `1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 6, l950 5 M 4 gwue/wkw Jihad/i732,

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July 28, 1953 R. w. wlR-rz 2,646,731

PHoToCoMPosING APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 28, 1953 R. w. wlRTz PHoTocoMPosING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1950 .NQ N my@ Patented July 28, 1953 PHOTOCOMPOSIN G APPARATUS Robert W. Wirtz, Peoria, Ill., assignor to Wirtz Company, Peoria, Ill., a copartnership Application March 6, 195o, serial No. 147,827

4 Claims.

, My invention relates to a machine to produce .a latent image identifying or classifying indicia,

mark or character or the like, such as in the form of a letter, number, word, sentence or series thereof photographically on a photographic lilm or -sensitized paper, with each letter or word properly and proportionally spaced, in a synchronized, expeditious, economical and efficient manner from characters of several diierent styles and sizes.

In .accordance with this invention, there is provided a mechanism for producing latent images of indicia, such as letters, numbers or like characters upon a photographic lm or sensitized paper and having an exposure station into registry with which the indicia are adapted to be moved in combination 'with a lm or sensitized Vstrip of paper which is advanced with respect to the exposure station to obtain proper spacing of the images.

One of the objects of this invention is to accurately control the advancement of the film so that the images will be properly spaced and present the proper degree of uniformity. A further object of the invention is to vary the spacing between the images as may be desirable With these and other objects in view which Willbecome apparent as the description proceeds,

this invention comprises the novel structure and vcombination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and dened in the appended claims.

- In the accompanying drawing which illustrates ra preferred form of this invention and in which `similar reference numerals-refer to similar features in the different views:

- Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the latent image or character producing machine, partly broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional "perspective View of the machine, somewhat schematically illustrated.

ing keys and calibrated adjustable stops for the latter.

Referring to the drawings in detail,v in practicing the method of photographically producing a latent image on photographic film or paper, the machine comprises a frame or casing I of generally rectangular form supporting and enclosing the mechanism including a light-tight compartment I I along the back I2 and top of the casing which has an opening at the top of the compartment closed and sealed light-tight as by a hinged cover I3. Within each end of the compartment are pairs of spaced holders such as spring clips Ill with opposed concaved arcuate portions for holding circular receptacles or cans I5 and I6 each with a removable lid Il. Can l5 holds a rolled strip of photographic film or sensitized paper IB which unrolls through a vertical guide slot I9 therein, passes between an up,- right idler cylinder 26 journaled at the top'and bottom in a bearing bracket 2l mounted at the back of the casing and compartment, and a similarly journaled juxtaposed toothed cylinder 22. rihe cylinder has upper and lower rows ofI peripheral depressions 23 similar to those shown on roll 20 in Fig. 2 into which mesh similarly arranged teeth 24 of cylinder 22 through matched die cut holes 25 in the photographic nlm or paper strip I8.

The strip I8 thus passes behind cylinder 20 and in front of cylinder 22 and along the inside of the front of compartment through a flanged guide channel 26 in back of an opening 21 therein near one end and a chamber or bellows of a camera 28 mounted in said opening. The camera 28 has the usual lens and shutter 29 and shutter control or actuating mechanism 30 operated in any suitable manner such as electrically as will be later described. After passing out the opposite end of the guide 26, the film or paper strip I8 passes around and between similar cylinders 22 and 20' journaled in a similar bearing bracket 2 I and then enters can I6 through its guide slot I9 to Wind in a roll therein. The cover I3 provides means of access to the nlm compartment for removing and replacing the iilm and an access door 3| is hinged over an opening at oneside of the casing to obtain access to interior mechanism, and is held closed by a catch 32. s

The shaft 33 of cylinder or roller 22' extends down from bearing bracket 2l and has a bearing at the bottom of casing I0 as seen in Fig. 2,

kwhere it carries a fixed pinion 34 meshing with a larger ratchet pinion 35 journaled at'3`6 on ythe bottom of the casing and beingy adapted to. be turned in an anticlockwise direction to turn the pinion 34, shaft 33 and .feed cylinder 22- in a clockwise direction for advancing the vfilm I8 from .3 right to left across the opening in back of the camera 28 to unwind from the roll in can I5 and wind in the can I6. The pinion is held against reverse or clockwise rotation by a spring held pawl 31, mounted adjacent thereto on the bottom of the casing and engaging the teeth of said ratchet pinion 35 but allowing the pinion to turn in the opposite direction.

The pinion 35 is turned intermittently by rack teeth 38 of a horizontal rack bar 39 when moved forwardly while the teeth are held in mesh with the pinion by a spring nger 40 mounted on the bottom of the casing l0 and pressing the rack teeth in mating engagement with the teeth of pinion 35 but sliding over same in the opposite direction. The rack bar 38 is slidably supported on the casing bottom as in a stationary slotted guide 4l at the end portion remote from the rack teeth and is moved forwardly to actuate the gears and rotate shaft 33 to feed the film to present a new part thereof for exposure. Resilient means or otherwise, such as a retraotile spring 42 is connected at its ends to the guide 4i and to the rack bar 38 to normally hold the latter in operative position and return it after being moved forwardly to advance the film. The bar 39 has three spaced elongated slots 43, 44, and 45 and an actuating printing key 46 of inverted L-forrn and having a long depending leg 41 provided with a lateral pin 48 extending through slot 43. Key 46 is pivoted horizontally at 49 suitably supported within the casing and at the angle whereleg 41 depends so that upon depressing the finger piece of the key the leg 41 will swing in to move pin 48 at the rear end of slot 43 and slide bar 39 on rack 38 forwardly horizontally a distance for advancing the ihn. A word spacer key 50 and a letter or number spacer key 5l are pivoted horizontally at 52 and 53 on a stationary support 54 mounted on the bottom of the casing and are of right angular form with short depending arms below the pivots carrying lateral pins 54 and 55 extending through the respective slots 44 and 45 against the inner forward ends thereof whereby upon depressing either of said keys slight advance of the iilm will result. Leg 41 of key 46 also has a long forwardly extending horizontal stroke bar 56 between its ends spaced below pivot 49 and above pin 48 and extending through a slotted vertical guide 51 for vertical swinging movement therein in an arc upon depressing key 46. All of said keys are returned to elevated positions by return movement of bar 39 to normal position and slots 43, 44 and 45 permit such movement on pins 48, 54 and 55 or actuation of bar 39 by either key independently of and without disturbing the others.

The top of the casing is provided with a rack or magazine for different character assemblies and for this purpose has an elongated slot 58 running intermediately from front to rear and opening at its rear end into the adjacent end of a wider transverse slot portion 59 which extends partially and centrally across the casing top and opens at its opposite end into the intermediate portion of a. storage slot portion 60 normal to slot 59 and parallel to slot 58 and so likewise extending from front to rear of the casing top. Character disc assemblies A for different characters, marks or identifying indicia are stored in the casing for movement in the double right angular slot selectively and individually from dormant or inactive positions to active or operative position for use in providing a negative to project different characters, such as Words, letters or numbers by light beam, through the camera lens in inverted positions for impressing or photographically producing the same by means of the camera, upon the photographic lm or sensitive printing paper.

Each of the plurality of assemblies A comprises a rectangular bearing frame having a rim of channel section or otherwise, having a central vertical hanger 8| at the top provided with an enlarged flat top rabbeted head 62 disposed against the bottom surface of the casing top to straddle the guide slot with its central reduced oblong rectangular portion 63 extending into the slot and a threaded socket 64 centrally in the head. A coacting clamping plate 65 straddles the slot on the top of the casing with a reduced portion 66 extending into the slot to mate with portion 63 and a thumb screw 61 extends loosely through a central hole 68 in plate 65 to engage the threaded socket 64. By tightening thumb screw 61 the top of the casing at the slot is clamped between head 62 and plate 65 to hold lche frame F stationary. Plate 63 .has a pointer 6l cooperating with a scale 10 on the casing top to indicate the adjustment and oblong reducedportions 63 and 66 nt slot portions 58 and 60 widthwise and lengthwise in slot portion 59 to keep the suspended assembly from turning.

Frame of each assembly has a central vertical panel 1| provided with an opening 12 near the top and a bearing ring 13 centralized with the bottom of the frame to rotatably support the inner forward end of a horizontal shaft 14 while a bearing 15 secured to the adjacent side wall of the casing journals the shaft near its outer end. Shaft 14 is tapered at its end and has a longitudinal slot 16. A bushing 11 lits on the vshaft against ring 13 and is recessed to receive a key 18 secured therein and in the groove 16 when slid on the shaft for an adjustment indicated by the position of the pointer 69 on the scale 18. A slotted negative disc of light impermeable material such as lead or plastic covered with india ink is fixed at 8l to a peripheral flange 82 of a hub 83 and an annulus 82a on the hub in back of the ring 15. A radially slotted ring 84 of larger radius than disc 80 is secured to the latter to project from the peripheral edge thereof as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, as by an annular clamp 85 of angular cross-section, attached by fastenings 86 to ring 84 to mount the same on said peripheral edge. Disc 88 has a circular series of indicia or characters 81 such as letters or numbers equidistantly spaced apart around the disc, and light permeable or transparent or even holes to appear in registry with opening 12 in front of lens 29 of camera 28 so that a light beam from a lamp 88 in a lamp housing 89 may be projected through opening 12 and a character of the disc upon the film through lens 29 and photographically produced on the lm. Lamp housing 89 is supported at the lower end of a hanger 90 depending from a forked foot 9| engaged on plate 65 and receiving screw 61 to secure the lamp housing in position for spaced adjustment of the lamp toward and away from the disc to vary the size of the image in connection with'the adjustment of the disc assembly.

A sprocket Wheel 92 is fixed to the outer end portion of shaft 14 where the shaft is journaled in a bearing bracket 93 suitably supported as by attachment to the sides of casing I0 or otherwise. A second sprocket wheel 94 is journaled in the bracket near its opposite end and an endless drive chain 95 is trained around the'spr'ocket "wheels with long horizontal upper and lower laps 'por stretches below and in front of disc assembly A and parallel thereto. A handle 96 is fixed to chain 95 as on a link 91 to extend outwardly therefrom through a slot 91 in the casing and a pointer 98 extends upwardly from the chain and Vhandle at link 91 to indicate a selected character Yof a plurality of series such as letters 99 both capital and small and numbers |00, or otherwise, provided on a plurality of elongated faces or sides of a polygonal or octagonal platen bar This bar is mounted at its ends to turn on a horizontal axis |02 in bearings |03 at the sides of the casing |0 and has knurled heads |04 at its ends to turn same so that the desired row of characters can be viewed through a window opening |05 in the front of the casing. By moving the handle 96 and pointer 98 along the exposed row of characters, chain 95 will be moved to turn shaft 14 by sprocket wheel 92 and turn negative disc 80 simultaneously therewith to position a selected character, number or letters, which may be used to make up a word by several selections, in front of the lamp 88 and opening 12 in the path of the light beam projected from the forward orifice at the open end of the lamp housing 89.

The rim of the ring 84 is provided with spaced radial slots |06 of different depths or radial lengths so that upon selection of an appropriate one, such as capital L as indicated in Fig. 2

of the drawings at pointer 98 on the exposed set of platen bar |0| and at opening 12 on the negative disc 80, they will be so timed as to appear simultaneously. Upon the depression of the key 46, the stroke bar or arm 56 is moved upwardly by an extent depending upon the depth of slot |06 in radial alignment with the selected character, which also controls the forward movement of the rack bar 39 and degree of advance of the film by the drive connection with the shaft 33 and lm feed cylinder 22'. When the upward movement of bar 56 is stopped by the bottom of a slot in ring 84, all further feeding or advance of the nlm is stopped, which results in obtaining the proper spacing between the images. Thus vthe action of the bar 56 with the slots in ring afl controls and governs the spacing between the images. The spacing of the characters as spacing of words, letters or numbers by the keys or 5| upon depressing same, is caused by slight movement forwardly of the rack bar 39 by the pins 54 and 55 engaging the forward ends of slots 44 and 45 respectively and pushing against same ron the swinging of the depending legs of said keys as they are rocked on their pivots 52 and 53. This movement and the spacing may be adjusted by means of adjustable stops |01 and |08 each pivoted intermediately of its length on the front of the casing I0 by thumb screws |09 to clamp same in adjusted positions on the screws as pivots with the outer pointers ||0 thereof swinging in arcs over calibrated scales on the casing. The arms of the key levers 46, 56 and 5| extend through vertical slots ||2 in the casing to protrude from the casing for use. It will be understood that the spacing keys 50 and 5| are auxiliary to the spacing key 46 and are designed to produce smaller spacings than those produced by the key 46 in the event that occasions require.

A micro-switch |3, which may be any suitable delayed action switch, relay or mercury switch .or the like, is supported on a bracket mounted on and extending in from the adjacent side of the casing. Switch ||3 is pivoted at ||5 to leg 41 vlarge or reduce the size thereof. when key 46 is depressed, the lm is advanced,

of key 46 and as the key is depressed, it is cocked and makes contact on release. This serves to complete an electrical circuit through conductors ||6 and ||1 through a control box ||8 with supply line leads ||9 and |20 and conductors |2| and |22 to the shutter control 30 and conductors |23 and |24 to lamp 88 in housing 66 to open the shutter and turn on the lamp upon depression of key 46. The length of contact is determined by the control box which may be a thermoelectric switch or otherwise, to vary the timing at the operators discretion. The mechanisms are so timed and synchronized relative to the exposure and turning on and off of the light source before and after the opening and closing of the shutter, as to produce a clear image of the character upon the film to be developed and printed in the usual manner as a latent image constituting a mark or identifying indicia or character on the photographic nlm or paper strip. Also, each depression of the key 46 will advance the lm the proper amount after the character has been selected by moving pointer 9S by handle 96 on bar |0| and at the same time turning the negative character disc to present the desired character at opening 12 for exposure upon opening the lens shutter after the light beam has been cast thereon to the lens and lm.

In the operation of the machine, the negative disc assemblies F are stored in the slot portion 66 and may be slid to either side of the slot portion 59 to Select the desired assembly and negative disc 80 with the characters to be used and produced on the lrn l0. The selected assembly is moved into the slot portion 58 and the pointer 69 set in the required adjustment at the scale 10 while the thumbscrew 61 is loose. The lamp housing 69 is then set the proper space from the camera 21 and its lens. When the assembly is moved into position, the hub and bushing of the disc 80 are slid over the tapered end of the shaft 14 with the key 18 in the groove 16 so the disc will turn with the shaft to present the proper character at opening 12 upon moving pointer 98 in line with such character on the platen bar IDI, such as letter L The foot 9| is engaged with thumbscrew 61 and the latter tightened to hold the adjustment of the lamp house and disc assembly and the distance of the assembly and negative character disc from the lens on shaft 14 determines the size of the image. The depth of slot |06 over bar 56 at the bottom of the disc diametrically opposite the selected character at opening 12 determines the movement of the stroke bar 56 upon pressing down key 49 and determines the spacing between images but the closer the assembly and disc are to the key, the total movement limited by the slot, increases and is greater due to the shorter radius of the lever arm of the stroke bar at the point it enters the slot and as the image of the character to be printed on the lm increases in size, the movement of the rack bar 39 is increased and the nlm fed forward a greater and corresponding distance. Depression of keys 50 and 5| also advances the nlm for certain more limited spacings of the images. The selection of a disc depends upon the size and kind of face of type, or characters to be produced by the image projected and printed on the film, movement of the disc forward and backward serving to en- Therefore,

the micro-switch |3 is cocked by pushing in the movable or plunger part thereof connected to 4leg 41 moving in or forwardly and makes contact on release and elevation of the key with the return of the rack bar 39 by spring 42. This closes the circuit through the control bor: HS to the lamp 88 and shutter control or operator 39 to open the latter and permit the light beam to expose the film to the character projected thereon for printing same thereon. The different characters may be quickly and easily selected to produce a latent image thereof in the form of Words, letters, numbers or otherwise properly spaced on the film or sensitive paper photographically. Moreover, the film can be easily placed in position in compartment I2 by employing the removable receptacles l5 and l5, permitting them to be filled and emptied in a dark room and replaced in position extending through the guide 26 and guide slots I9 and I9' for feeding same in exposure position as hereinbefore described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited to that Which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a photographic character printing machine, means for supporting a supply roll of photographic film, means for receiving said film as it issues from said supply roll, a feed sprocket meshing with feed holes in said film for advancing said film in variable increments of movement from said supply roll past an image exposure station to said receiving means, agear train for rotating said sprocket, a ratchet toothed plunger reciprocable between gear train actuating direction and return-to-start direction of movements, a keyboard including a plurality of key levers, means associated with said key levers for imparting to said plunger a gear train actuating motion, a probe associated with one of said key levers, and an interchangeable character disc rotatably mounted in said machine so as to be selectively positionable to display any of its characters at said exposure station, said disc bearing peripheral notches of varying depth according to space variations of its borne characters, said notches being engageable by said probe for thereby regulating the degree of depression of said one of said key levers and through it the degree of said plunger stroke.

2. In a machine of the character described, a supply roll carrier for photo-sensitive film having feed holes, means for receiving said lm, a feed sprocket meshing with the feed holes in said lm for advancing said film in variable increments of movement past an image exposure sta.- tion, an interchangeable character disc rotatably positionable to align any of its borne characters photographically with said station, a plunger reciprocable in feed sprocket actuating and returnto-normal movements, a plurality of key levers, means associated with certain of said key levers for imparting to said plunger actuating motion, a probe associated with one of said key levers, said character disc having generally peripheral abutments at radial distances from the outermost periphery of the disc which vary according to space variations of its borne characters. and the probe being movable by its associated key lever into contact with a corresponding abutment when the disc has been positioned to align one A8 of its borne characters with" said station, for thereby regulating the depression of the associated key lever and thereby the extent of said actua-ting motion and increments of movement.

3. In a machine of the class described a rotatable selector shaft, a disc bearing a circular arrangement of characters to be photographed interchangeably positionable on said shaft, said disc having around its circumference radial notches distributed ink correspondence with its circular arrangement of characters, the depth of each notch corresponding to the space requirements of its related character, a Wheel carried by said shaft, a companion wheel in alignment with said first mentioned Wheel, an endless belt around both of said Wheels, an indicator borne by said belt, a linear index having character designations in correspondence with the character sequence of said disc and parallel with the path described by said indicator whereby the linear positionvof said indicator denotes the annular position of said disc and shaft, and apparatus for rotating said shaft for the purpose of placing each of said characters into alignment with an exposure station as its related notch is placed into position for probing, sprocket feed apparatus for advancing a photo-sensitive film past said exposure station, and a key lever including a probe for entering a selectively positioned notch to a degree permitted by the depth of said notch for thereby correspondingly actuating said sprocket feed mechanism.

4. In a photocomposing machine, a sprocket feed apparatus for advancing a strip of film past an exposure station, a rotatable shaft, a disc interchangeably mounted on said shaft, said disc having peripheral notches of varying depth each relating to a character of a circumferential row of characters borne by said disc, a sprocket wheel secured to said shafty an endless belt meshing with said sprocket wheel and carrying a pointer, a linear index having character designations thereon to be traversed by said pointer as said belt is moved to impart rotation to said sprocket wheel and said shaft, an exposure shutter at said exposure station, a key lever mechanism for operating said exposure shutter when a character is selectively brought into alignment with said exposure station, and means carried by said key lever for entering one of said disc peripheral notches for thereby regulating the degree of actuation permitted to said key lever, and a rack bar and pinion mechanism also actuated by said key lever for imparting a corresponding degree of movement to said sprocket feed mechanism.

ROBERT W. WIRTZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 943,614 Blacklidge Dec. 14, 1909 1,237,239 Bunnell Aug. 14, 1917 1,283,394 Baw'tree Oct. 29, 1918 2,105,555 Ish-Shalom et al. Jan. 19, 1938 2,298,666 Whitelaw Oct. 13, 1942 2,351,126 Highton June 13, 1944 2,475,497 Harrold et al July 5, 1949 2,486,834 Freund Nov. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 174,621 Great Britain Apr; 25, 1923 

